A Ukrainian national who set fire to a car and two properties linked to Sir Keir Starmer on the orders of a Russian-speaking Telegram handler has been jailed for seven years. Roman Lavrynovych, 22, was sentenced at the Old Bailey alongside Stanislav Carpiuc, 27, a Romanian national who played a supporting role, receiving two years. Both men were found guilty of conspiring to commit arson; Lavrynovych was also convicted of damaging two properties by fire, reckless as to whether life was endangered. A third Ukrainian man, Petro Pochynok, 35, was acquitted.
The attacks began on 8 May 2025, when a Toyota Rav4 once owned by the prime minister was found ablaze on a street he used to live on in Kentish Town. Three days later, a fire was discovered at flats linked to Sir Keir in nearby Islington. Then, in the early hours of 12 May, a fire broke out at the entrance to his Kentish Town home, which he still owned but was renting to his sister-in-law, Judith Alexander. She told the trial of billowing black smoke going up the stairs while she, her daughter and partner were in the house.
“Two men jailed for arson on Starmer's property, recruited by Russian-speaking figure on Telegram.”
The court heard that an anonymous Russian-speaking figure known as “EL” recruited Lavrynovych on Telegram, offering payment in cryptocurrency to carry out the arson and ensure it made the news. The judge, Mr Justice Garnham, described Lavrynovych as a “useful idiot” who was “easily bought” and had “accepted the job as you had accepted other grubby little tasks”. Lavrynovych’s lawyer, James Scobie KC, called him “a complete and utter foot soldier” and “fodder for this type of infiltration”.
After the final fire, “EL” messaged Lavrynovych, urging him to leave the city and telling him to secretly write “geranium” if detained. Lavrynovych was arrested hours later at his home in Sydenham. In police interview, he said he had no idea who the prime minister was and had not heard of Keir Starmer. The court heard that Lavrynovych was never paid. “EL” expressed frustration that the attacks did not initially receive much attention.
During the trial, the BBC revealed that the attacks had been ordered on behalf of Russia. That disclosure contradicted false claims circulated on social media, including by pro-Russian ex-MP George Galloway and Tommy Robinson, that the suspects were “rent boys” linked to Starmer. One TikTok video falsely claimed the men were male prostitutes seeking payment from Starmer, and some drew connections to Lord Alli and Peter Mandelson. The New Statesman reported that the “rent boy” theory persisted even after the BBC revealed the Russian link, with one TikTok commenter calling the official explanation “absolute bullshit” and saying it “sounds like a lovers tiff”.
The judge rejected the suggestion that Lavrynovych did not know the houses were occupied, saying he “only had to look around the street to realise these premises were residential”. Both men showed no emotion as their sentences were read.